Arne Slot head coach of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Training Centre on November 07, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)placeholder image
Arne Slot head coach of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Training Centre on November 07, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool team news ahead of the Premier League clash against Man City.
Liverpool are set to be without five players when they face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon (4.30pm GMT).
The Reds have the chance to close the gap to five points on Premier League leaders Arsenal, who were held to a 2-2 draw against Sunderland. But Arne Slot and his troops will know how difficult of a fixture they face against a City side who have been Liverpool’s main rivals in recent years.
Alisson Becker continues to be unavailable for the Reds. The No.1 goalkeeper is still not recovered from a hamstring injury so Giorgi Mamardashvili will continue to deputise. The summer signing from Valencia has kept clean sheets in the past two games - wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid.
Slot did admit that he expects Alisson to be back for Liverpool’s clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday 22 November after the international break. However, Slot has admitted it is unlikely that Jeremie Frimpong will recover in time to face Forest. The Holland international is recovering from his own hamstring issue.
Giovanni Leoni is ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a cruel ACL on his Liverpool debut in a Carabao Cup win over September. Slot also cannot supplement his bench with highly-rated youngsters Stefan Bajcetic and Jayden Danns, who have respective hamstring problems.
But it is likely that Alexander Isak will be back among the substitutes. The striker, purchased for a £125 million British record fee in the summer transfer window, has returned to training after a groin problem that forced him to miss the past four games. Isak arrived at the Reds well short of match fitness because of his interrupted pre-season at Newcastle United.
Isak’s setback means that his fitness levels have taken another hit. Slot said at his pre-match press conference: "I know that I said three weeks ago that his pre-season has ended so now it's time for us to see where he is.
"But I have to come back to those words, because if you are three weeks only with the rehab, that doesn't bring you back to the levels he was three weeks ago.
"Even though our rehab has done an incredible job, you cannot compare rehab with games of football or training sessions with the team. As much as we try to replicate it, that's simply not possible. So, again I have to say, give him some time."
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